Product stewardship for end of life tyres
Australian environment ministers are working in partnership with the tyre industry to develop industry-led product stewardship schemes to increase the local recycling of end of life tyres and expand the market for tyre derived products. These product stewardship initiatives are expected to come forward for accreditation under the new National Waste Policy, adopted at the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) meeting in November 2009.
The National Waste Policy sets the agenda for waste and resource recovery in Australia over the next 10 years. The policy has a strong focus on taking responsibility, through product stewardship, to reduce the environmental, health and safety footprint of manufactured goods through design, manufacture, supply chain, consumption and at end of life.
The product stewardship framework will provide support through voluntary accreditation of community and industry-run recycling schemes, such as those for end of life tyres.
The product stewardship framework under the National Waste Policy will also include the provision for the Commonwealth to support industry-run recycling schemes, where a net community benefit for intervention has been established, through legislation. This provision will prevent `free-riding' on the voluntary efforts of responsible companies. Ministers announced that televisions and computers will be the first products to be covered by this legislative framework.
What is the problem with end of life tyres?
In 2007-08, it was estimated that around 52.5 million equivalent passenger unit (EPU) tyres reached their end of life in Australia. An EPU is a standardised measure for the quantity of end-of-life tyres. One EPU contains as much rubber and other materials as a 'typical' passenger tyre. The assumed weight of one new EPU is taken to be 9.5 kilograms and one used EPU is taken to be 8 kilograms.
Approximately 64 per cent of tyres went to landfill or were illegally dumped or stockpiled, while only 13 per cent were recycled. If this trend remains unchanged, up to 680 million EPU tyres will be sent to landfill over the next 20 years.
Apart from the costs to the community and governments through littering our landscapes and waterways and taking up scarce landfill space, end of life tyres are a source of health and environmental concerns; fires in stockpiles can release toxic gases and pollute waterways, and tyre stockpiles provide breeding habitats for mosquitoes.
Dumped and landfilled tyres also represent a loss of potentially valuable resources as many opportunities exist for using end of life tyres. Tyres are generally made from rubber, steel and textile, with truck tyres having a higher rubber content than passenger vehicle tyres. These resources can be recovered and used for other purposes.
Background information is available in our Online archive
Development of a national approach
At the November 2009 EPHC meeting, environment ministers committed to work with industry, governments and the community to find appropriate solutions for the responsible management of end of life tyres.
Governments will work with the tyre industry and other stakeholders to develop industry-led schemes to increase recycling and expand the market for tyre derived products. This will be achieved through the National Waste Policy product stewardship framework.
The framework will provide a consistent approach to reducing the environmental footprint and health and safety risks of specified manufactured products and materials, particularly at the end of their useful life. It will have a provision for industry-led schemes to be accredited, and will ensure schemes meet national standards and are transparent and accountable.
Industry-led schemes will aim to open up new local markets for managing end of life tyres. Many opportunities exist for using end of life tyres including for road construction material and playgrounds with new options emerging such as flexible paints and glues.
Next steps
Industry-led initiatives for handling end of life tyres are expected to be developed for accreditation under the new National Waste Policy product stewardship framework.
About the EPHC
The objective of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council is to ensure the protection of the environment and heritage of Australia and New Zealand.
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